Pixar's unlikely heroes

Disney / Pixar

Who he is: Monster James P. "Sulley" Sullivan, scare technician | Why it works: Sulley fits the mold of a reluctant hero. He's just an average monster, doing his job ... until he tries desperately to return a little girl named Boo to her family.

Who he is: Monster James P. "Sulley" Sullivan, scare technician | Why it works: Sulley fits the mold of a reluctant hero. He's just an average monster, doing his job ... until he tries desperately to return a little girl named Boo to her family. (Disney / Pixar)

What it is: A bouncy ball-loving lamp | Why it works: Luxo became the now-iconic Pixar logo, and even foreshadowed "Cars." Here was the studio's first attempt at bringing human-like qualities to an inanimate object, conveying real emotions with the flicker of a light.

What it is: A bouncy ball-loving lamp | Why it works: Luxo became the now-iconic Pixar logo, and even foreshadowed "Cars." Here was the studio's first attempt at bringing human-like qualities to an inanimate object, conveying real emotions with the flicker of a light. (Pixar)